MPPCB implements E-Waste Rules

Ministry of Environment and Forests promulgated E-waste Rules in 2011 which will be put into force from May 1, 2012. In compliance to the Rules Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board (MPPCB) has put forward a framework for effective management of e-wastes in the state. Talking about the initiative HS Malviya from Madhya Pradesh Pollution Control Board said that Board has done inventorisation of e-waste for eight major towns in the state and quantified the generation. The largest producer of e-waste was found to be Indore generating 800 Tonnes of wastes yearly, followed by Bhopal, Gwalior and Ujjain with 415 tonnes, 400 tonnes and 315 tonnes per annum of wastes respectively. Malviya informed that “the Board is also working on a guideline for e-waste management with CPCB which will be coming soon.”

MPPCB is systematizing the e-waste management process by opening collection centres. Board in collaboration with Hostech Eco Management Pvt. Ltd has opened collection centres for e-waste in Indore and soon will expand the venture to Bhopal, Gwalior and Jabalpur. The collection centres would be operational from 1st May, the day E-Waste Rules will be effective from. Asad Warsi, Director, Hostech says that “the company has opened up collection centres in Indore but is looking forward to opening collection centres in every city of Madhya Pradesh. Apart from the collection centres we are also setting up kiosks in different parts of the city and ‘e-waste drop in’ at malls to make e-waste dumping easier for consumers.” Apart from setting up requisite infrastructure, Board is also spreading awareness to the consumers about the perils of e-waste and need for their collection and disposal. Asad adds that the Board has been extremely cooperative and is helping them in their endeavor by putting up advertisements, notices in the important newspapers and magazines informing the public about the e-waste collection centres. MPPCB organized eight workshops in different parts of Madhya Pradesh attended by around 2000 stakeholders. They are also organizing Training and Awareness programme towards the end of May for the stakeholders engaged in the e-waste management. The target audience at the programme would be the informal recyclers who will be made aware of the E-waste Rules and how they can involve themselves in the management process. Hostech has also roped in 20 to 30 informal recyclers who will assist them in collection of e-wastes. Malviya informs that “the State Government has also helped them in this initiative by issuing circulars to all the government offices, banks and state departments asking them to channelise their e-waste through authorised collection centres.”

The E-Waste Rules 2011 makes it mandatory for every e-waste generator to dispose their wastes to authorized collection centres. The collection centres in turn are entrusted to ensure that the wastes are stored in a secured manner until it is sent to registered dismantlers or recyclers. The company is targeting collection from consumers using a 3 way approach:-

bulk users from industries, schools, colleges and other institutions

bulk users from government departments/offices

general public

Hostech will enter into agreement with the bulk users of e-waste such as schools, industries, government offices etc and register them for three years. The users will give away their e-wastes to the company for the stipulated registration period. For the general public, collection centres, kiosks etc are set which would ensure collection. The company will also have door to door collection of e-waste in Indore. Asad says that “they have fixed the price for every e-waste that the users will bring to their collection centres but the price may vary depending upon the working condition of the electronics.” For instance the company has fixed rates of computer parts such as CPU, monitor and printers at Rs 100, for TV and fridge a sum of Rs 500 is decided and for washing machines a sum of Rs 700/800 has been decided.

“The company will focus on e-waste collection in the first six months and then turn the waste for dismantling. The recyclable wastes retrieved from dismantling will be sent to authorized recyclers” explains Asad. Madhya Pradesh is the ninth biggest e-waste producer in the country with a gross generation of 4500 to 5000 tonnes per annum. “The e-waste generation will grow exponentially in the state and we have started taking measures for appropriate treatment and disposal. The Board is in talks with Treatment Storage Disposal Facility at Pithampur for dismantling and recycling of e-waste and two other agencies for e-waste recycling. The recycling units will get a go ahead by State Level Recyclers Committee which will check them for machineries, technologies and system in place” states Malviya.